Mail crane



Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

CARL A. MOHNKERN, OF CURTIS, ARKANSAS.

MAIL CRANE.

Original application filed April 10, 1925, Serial No. 22,086. Divided and this application filed September 11, 1926. Serial No. 134,912.

My invention relates to mail cranes such as are used at post-ofiice stations along railways for delivering mail pouches to moving (rains. More specifically, this application is a division of my co-pen'ding application, Serial No. 22,086 filed April 10, 1925.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the class mentioned in which the crane is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting arms to support the mail pouch, and of such construction and arrangement that the arms will automatically drop into inoperative position as soon as the pouch is removed therefrom. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists generally in a mail crane comprising a standard, a pair of pouch supporting arms pivotally mounted thereon, a brace for supporting the upper arm and a connection between the lower arm and said brace whereby when the lower arm drops upon removal of the pouch, the brace will be withdrawn from the upper arm and said arm allowed to drop. My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of parts, all as will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claim.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. and in which? The figure is a side elevation of a mail crane embodying my invention in its preferred form.

As above stated this application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 22,086, in which the crane standard. is pivotally mounted upon a suitable base, and in the present application I have illustrated a crane of this character although it is to be understood that my invention is applicable to cranes in which the standard does not drop or collapse.

Referring now to the drawings, indicates a base plate adapted to be spiked or bolted to the ties or otherwise secured in any suitable position adjacent the track. This is provided with upright brackets 11 beween which is pivotally mounted a shaft 12. Fixed to the shaft 12 is the standard of the crane. This may be of any form and may be constructed of any suitable material, such as metal pipe sections. 13 indicates the standard which is preferably braced by diagonal rods 1d connected to the shaft 12, as illustrated. 15 and. 16 indicate the upper and lower arms of the crane, which are pivotally mounted as at. 17 and 18 respectively upon suitable brackets secured to the standard. The outer end of each arm is provided with a pouch clamp 19. The lower arm 16 is provided with a short rearwardly projecting arm 20 which is connected by a flexible member 21 with a latch 22 which engages an aperture 22 in the base plate to hold the standard in vertical position. Upon dropping of the arm 16 when the pouch is removed, the latch 22 is withdrawn, thereby releasing the crane and permitting the same to drop. This feature of the device is cov ered in the parent application, above identitied.

The upper arm 15, is supported in operative position by a brace or supporting arm 23, pivoted as at 2 1 to the standard and having its free end engaging behind a stop or detent 25 on the arm 15. A cable 26 is connected to the brace arm adjacent its free end and has its opposite end connected as at 27 to the lower arm 16, so that, when arm 16 drops it will pull the brace arm 23 from the detent 25 and release the arm 15. The cable 26 preferably passes about a pulley or guide 28 on the standard, as illustrated. 29 indicates spring-tongues on the standard for holding the arms 15 and 16 after they dro These spring-tongues or latches are simply sin le stri as of sJrin metal secured to the C CD standard and projecting outwardly, the proecting portion being bent or curved to readily engage and hold the respective arms.

I claim:

In a mail crane, a standard, upper and J lower pouch supporting arms pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to swing downwardly, a detent on said upper arm, a pivotally mounted brace having a free end adapted to engage said detent to support the upper arm in raised position, and means connecting said brace and the lower arm whereby downward movement of the latter will release said brace from said detent, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL A. MOHNKERN. 

